Lawyers flying solo reap rewards

Toiling in lavish offices brimming with fellow attorneys, reminiscent of a John Grisham novel, just isn't a reality for many lawyers in Oklahoma.

In fact, numbers compiled by the Oklahoma Bar Association show that roughly one-third of licensed attorneys in Oklahoma fly solo.

These practices, with their modest overhead and streamlined support staff, defy the stereotyped image of the buttoned-down corporate lawyer. Thirty percent of Oklahoma's lawyers are not part of weekly partner meetings where forty-ish attorneys cloaked in Armani suits gather to discuss the present array of high-powered clients for "the firm." Instead, solo practitioners have maybe one set of hardbound law books, simply to reassure clients that work actually goes on there, an answering service, and a computer system to accommodate an on- line legal service and CDROM, says M. Joe Crosthwait, chairperson of the Oklahoma Bar Association's Solo and Small Firm Section. Perhaps it's a scarcity of jobs or perhaps it's a burning desire to be out on one's own, but some of these solo practitioners get their start right out of law school. According to Judy Collins, research director for the National Association for Placement, approximately 5.2 percent of law school graduates go straight into solo work. David Welsh, a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma law school, is one such lawyer who decided to make a go of it on his own right out of school. "I like the flexibility that a solo practice has," says Welsh. Welsh set up an office in west Norman after doing some interning and clinical work during school. "The biggest challenge is running the business. I spend over 50 percent of my time dealing with the business part of the practice," Welsh says. Gina Rowsam, director of legal services as Oklahoma City University College of Law, believes having a business background is vital to making a solo practice run smoothly. "Ideally, the solo practitioner would have his own business for experience before starting a solo practice," Rowsam says. Welsh touts How To Start and Build a Law Practice as his bible. "I've checked out this book three times from the library and refer to it all the time," he said. The stress, says Welsh, is also high with a solo practice. "I'm constantly wondering if I'm doing the right thing." Welsh also says that keeping records of his time spent is a constant chore. "Every time I pick up the phone or go anywhere I have to keep track of it. I'm not used to it, but I'll get better." Welsh, however, is enthusiastic about his new venture. "I haven't made it out of the woods yet ... but I plan to be out of the red by early next year." In the same office suite is David Ponder, another solo practitioner who started his one-man operation right after graduating from OU law school three years ago. "Patience is the one skill someone going solo needs," says Ponder. "When I started, I had one desk, a chair and a phone. A good friend gave me a great deal on some office space. "But I had to be patient and realize the phone wasn't going to start ringing the minute I plugged it in." Ponder acknowledges how difficult it is to start a solo business directly after school and attributes his success to the fact that he and his wife ran their own business before he went to law school. He says the satisfaction he derives from being his own boss is one of the biggest advantages. "There's a certain amount of pride in running your own practice," says Ponder. But he notes that it's a two-edged sword. "If I don't work today I don't get paid tomorrow." Ponder believes the days of young graduates going directly from school to solo practice are over. "It's so competitive out there. If I say I can work on a case for $500, the guy down the street will say $200 and the next guy will do it for $100." Many solo practitioners have worked for large practices in the past and decided the big-firm lifestyle is not for them. "No one will treat you better than you do," says Margo Bowles, a solo practitioner who deals with estate planning in Tulsa. Bowles, who has practiced on her own for 11 years, got a feel for big-firm lawyering when she worked for Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden and Nelson during law school. "Even though I take less time off than I would if I work for a big law firm, I like being my own boss," says Bowles. Though Bowles says she has great respect for her former employer, she attributes her desire to fly solo to her mentor, Lamoyne Oldam, a long time woman practitioner in Tulsa who was still working at age 80. "She was a great inspiration," says Bowles. OCU's Rowsam says solo practice can be extremely rewarding, but lawyers have to know what they're getting into before they start. "Anybody who contemplates solo practice needs a mentor," says Rowsam. Welsh, Ponder and Bowles all agree that having help from a seasoned attorney provides a safety net when they just don't know the answer. "I have other attorneys who I can bounce things off," says Welsh. Ponder explains, "I'll call up a friend and say, `hey have you ever had a case where ...'." Rowsam emphasizes the need for solo practitioners to acknowledge their vulnerabilities. "Being able to say `I don't know' is important." No doubt, starting one's own business is a risky undertaking, and when it's coupled with the weighty obligations that attorneys have for their clients, the responsibility seems enormous. But a combination of a tight job market and a pioneering spirit give many attorneys the motivation to go it alone, despite the obstacles. "There's nothing telling graduates that they shouldn't practice solo," says Rowsam, "but they need accumulated life and work experience."

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